


Close to the Truth

by rhodrymavelyne



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:33:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27727529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhodrymavelyne/pseuds/rhodrymavelyne
Summary: Right after Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier forces Will to confront the fact that Hannibal is in love with him and those feelings may not be unrequited, Freddie Lounds chooses to ambush Will Graham.
Relationships: Bedelia Du Maurier/Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Kudos: 25





	Close to the Truth

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after Will’s meeting with Bedelia, before Will convinces Jack to use Freddie Lounds and Tattlecrime to set a trap for the Great Red Dragon. I don’t own Hannibal but for months it has owned me.

A familar, unwelcome redhead was waiting for me when I left Bedelia Du Maurier’s house. I wondered if Bedelia knew Freddie Lounds was stalking her as she was stalking me. Perhaps she didn’t care. Bedelia’s icy composure in the face of rudeness rivalled Hannibal’s own. No wonder she’d been able to carry off the role of his wife. 

I wished my mouth wouldn’t fill with a sour taste at the thought of the two of them, Hannibal and Bedelia in Italy together, living a glamorous life I’d fit in as well as a scuffed shoe at a fancy dinner party. 

Only Bedelia was the one who’d said it, confirmed it. Hannibal was in love with me. He was drawing nourishment from the very sight of me. 

Strange to say it out loud, to admit it. I’d felt the possibility breathing in our exchanges, Hannibal's and mine from the very beginning. I'd refused to name it, refused to look at it, just as I’d refused to look at him. Anything felt threatening, even friendship. For friendship was the perfect prelude to love. And many of my worst fears had come true. This bond had turned menacing in ways I’d never dreamed of. 

By the time I realized this, it was too late. Now whatever existed between Hannibal and myself was transforming, developing into something I couldn’t stop. The possibility had always been there. I’d simply hidden myself away from it as I’d hidden away from everything. 

Being in a raw, vulnerable mood was not how I’d choose to face Freddie Lounds. Unfortunately she had a knack for showing up at just those moments.

“The brides of Hannibal Lecter are united.” Freddie stalked toward me, all-knowing smirks. “First you see Hannibal, now you’re seeing his therapist. Can’t get enough of him, can you?”

All of a sudden I was tired. I stopped in my tracks. “Go ahead and think whatever you want. You’re going to anyway and you’ll treat it as fact.”

“Such arrogance. I once thought it was your looks that made you arrogant.” Freddie gave me a scornful, sweeping once over from head to toe, dismissing her own compliment. “You’re barely aware of your own appearance and disdain your own as much as anyone else's. Your arrogance goes deeper, deep beneath the skin. It’s untouchable, just as you’re untouchable.” She twisted her lips into a knowing smirk. “How you must have maddened Hannibal Lecter! Falling in love with you must have seemed almost like divine punishment.”

“Perhaps it was.” I crossed my arms and gazed at a tree slightly to the right of Freddie. I would not make eye contact with this woman. “All sorts of things can be considered divine punishment regarded in the right light.”

If I allowed myself, I’d hear my father’s warnings, see him crossing himself. Watch what you say. You may never know whom or what may be listening. Cover your mouth when you yawn, Will! Your soul could escape if you don’t!

Don’t hold your head up too high. It makes it all the easier to stumble. Seeing his earnest, grizzled face, green eyes similar to mine looking back from my memories, I can still hear the gentleness in his voice mingled with the fear. I only tell these things to protect you, Will. There’s a world of predators out there most of us are lucky enough never to see. I don’t want you to become aware of them. I don’t want them to be aware of you. 

Sorry, Papa. We’re only too aware of each other, the predators and I. I’m looking at one right now.

“Ah, so you’re admitting that he’s in love with you.” Freddie narrowed her eyes, studying my lips and my hands as if I had a tell which gave away my recent conversation with Bedelia. “Just what do you think Dr. Du Maurier is to him?”

“Someone who understood him or thought she did. People have a way of constantly surprising you.” I twisted my mouth in an answering smirk.

“Must have been a surprise when the Tooth Fairy came for your wife and child. Or did Hannibal send him after them?” Freddie cocked her head to one side, curls resting on her shoulder. "He's never liked sharing you with anyone, even someone you both care about." 

I hadn't thought she'd make a veiled reference to Abigail. It was hard not to let that blow show. 

“I wonder how they’re communicating, given how carefully Dr. Alana Bloom is watching him." As watchful as any hawk, Freddie kept her attention fixed upon me. "Or do you think she is the leak?” 

Careful. Don’t give anything away. It was an effort to keep the anger in check. Freddie was simply fishing. She didn’t realize how close her questions were to the truth. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re in over your head, Will Graham, as always.” Something surprisingly close to pity crossed her face. “My offer still stands. You should use me.”

All of a sudden the anger ran out of me. “All right.”

“Really?” For the first time Freddie looked nonplussed. “What changed your mind?”

“You’re right.” I offered Freddie as insincere a smile as she’d ever given me. “I should use you. I’ll convince Jack Crawford that we should.” 

I took advantage of her distraction to move past her, only to shoot a parting warning over my shoulder. “Be careful, Freddie. People who get used by us tend to meet very unpleasant fates.”

Mull that one over.

**Author's Note:**

> I've started to visualize Sam Trammell as Will Graham's father...


End file.
